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IN BRIEF
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Major cities are undergoing a discreet revolution, driven by digitalization and innovation. Today, the urban travel experience is being reinvented with smart applications and services that facilitate discovery, enrich immersion, and encourage sharing. From social mapping to eco-responsible accommodation, geolocated audioguides to hidden spaces revealed by locals, these new solutions propel tourism into an augmented dimension that is more human and personalized. Discover eight major innovations that are transforming urban tourism and addressing new challenges—experience, sustainability, and inclusivity.
The personalized map: Mapstr, the world in your image
Urban discovery takes on new momentum with Mapstr. This application, created in Paris, allows each user to map their favorite addresses—restaurants, museums, cafés, unexpected places—and organize them as they wish. Mapstr is not limited to personal use: it is possible to share selections and use them even without an internet connection, a significant advantage when traveling. This service has attracted over five million users, who now have a custom travel guide. The tool, praised by tourism professionals, encourages everyone to build their own urban experience, far from the beaten paths. For a broader view of the tourism sector, check out this article on the latest tourism news in France.
A responsible accommodation with GreenGo
Far from the standardized approach of some international platforms, GreenGo values stays in France under the banner of authenticity and respect for the environment. By selecting only low carbon footprint accommodations that are involved in local life—from renovated lodgings made of natural materials to eco-responsible bed and breakfasts—GreenGo gives travelers the assurance of a quality experience, with full transparency on the criteria and prices. More than 10,000 accommodations already reflect this sustainable tourism rooted in local produce, emphasizing meeting new people and responsible consumption.
Legendr, the next-generation audioguide
The urban audioguide is modernized with Legendr. Here, there’s no downloading of applications or technical heaviness: via a simple link, the visitor launches a geolocated audio walk. Each route, designed from historical accounts or local anecdotes, unfolds in total immersion, thanks to GPS synchronization. Suitable for both museums and public spaces, Legendr appeals to both tourism offices and visitors, for a spontaneous and enriched discovery of urban heritage while keeping production costs manageable.
CityGem: neighborhoods told by their inhabitants
With CityGem, exploring a city becomes an act of meeting and sharing. The application invites you to explore circuits designed by those who animate the life of the neighborhood—artists, merchants, locals—and thus offers an immersion in the unexpected. The routes highlight street art, artisan workshops or community gardens, far from mass tourism. CityGem adopts an inclusive approach that invites slowness, values exchange, and weaves new links, embodying a deeply human vision of tourism. In the face of the tourist saturation of certain neighborhoods, as discussed in this article on tourism saturation in Paris, this initiative truly renews the urban experience.
Jooks: combining urban discovery and sport
For dynamic travelers, Jooks democratizes tourism in motion. Whether you are a running or cycling enthusiast, the application offers suitable audio routes that connect points of interest and anecdotes. Conveniently, Jooks integrates a well-being dimension: performance tracking, session statistics, alerts for pollution or allergies. The concept is gaining traction in over 100 cities across 65 countries, even rewarding efforts with the allocation of a prize pool.
Rewindstories: the self-guided, customized tour
The principle of Rewindstories is based on freedom and simplicity: from their smartphone, the user chooses a thematic tour of variable duration, in Paris, Lyon, or Marseille, which starts as soon as they arrive on site. The experience is extended by the immediate booking of related activities—from brunch to cruises—hosted within the application. This flexible format meets the growing demand for autonomy among urban travelers.
SmarTrips: hassle-free travel with friends
For those who dread conflicts during planning with friends, SmarTrips offers a collaborative solution. The application centralizes availability dates, suggests accommodations, and features a notification system to keep each participant informed. In case of disagreements, the integrated voting feature allows for a collective decision. SmarTrips transforms organization into a friendly and efficient process, minimizing tensions and maximizing the enjoyment of shared travel.
PimpMyTrip: good deals discovered by locals
Discovering a city through the eyes of its residents? PimpMyTrip connects travelers with passionate locals, ready to share their secret addresses and personalized recommendations. Over 15,000 users exchange tips on the best addresses in 400 cities, contributing to proximity tourism, far from sanitized routes. This collaborative format fosters a more authentic experience, where discovery is infused with the culture and soul of the place visited. For further insights on regional trends, also read this article on tourism in the south of France.
Towards a reinvented urban tourism
Thanks to innovation, urban tourism has become akin to an art of living: it becomes more flexible, attentive to the environment, rooted in authenticity, and open to everyone’s creativity. Whether it involves avoiding mass tourism or enjoying a more responsible stay, new digital and collaborative solutions support this movement, offering every traveler the opportunity to forge a custom adventure. Additional analyses on the general situation of the sector can also be explored, with recent points like the closure of Marineland or unequal tourism in Chamonix.
